Winthrop Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Winthrop Mill
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 Location in Connecticut
Location in the United States
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| Location | Mill Street, New London, Connecticut |
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| Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Built | 1650 |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001008 |
| Added to NRHP | November 30, 1982 |
The Winthrop Mill, also known as the Old Town Mill, is a very old building in New London, Connecticut. It's a special kind of mill called a grist mill. This means it was used to grind grain, like corn or wheat, into flour.
The mill sits right over Briggs Brook, with parts of Interstate 95 passing high above it. It was first built way back in 1650, making it one of the oldest buildings around! Some parts of the mill might even be from when it was first made. Today, the city owns the mill, and you can visit the grounds every day. If you want to see inside the mill, you can arrange a special tour. This historic spot was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 30, 1982.
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Exploring the Winthrop Mill
The Winthrop Mill is found north of downtown New London, on Mill Street. This street is a short road between State Pier Road and Winthrop Street. The mill is built right on Briggs Brook, and you'll notice the big bridges of I-95 high above it.
What Does the Mill Look Like?
The mill building is made of wood and has a special roof shape called a gambrel roof. It's about 30 feet wide and 60 feet long. The roof extends out over the front, creating a porch supported by four square posts. The outside walls are covered with horizontal wooden boards that look like flat clapboards.
How the Mill Works
Attached to the side of the mill is a large waterwheel. This wheel gets its power from water that flows through a raised wooden channel called a penstock. The penstock gets its water from a gate at a small dam upstream on the brook. The penstock is about 200 feet long and is held up by wooden supports on stone bases. Inside the mill, you'll find a mix of old and new parts. Only some of the original machinery is still there.
A Glimpse into the Mill's Past
The first mill on this spot was likely built in 1650 by Governor John Winthrop, Jr. and William Comstock. The Winthrop family owned the property for a long time, until the late 1700s.
Important Old Parts
Some parts of the mill's water system, like the raised channel (flume), the pit where the wheel sits, and the channel where water flows out (tail race), might be almost as old as the mill itself. The building you see today might also have parts from the original structure.
Fire and New Beginnings
We know that the mill was set on fire in 1781 during a raid on New London and Groton led by Benedict Arnold. After that, the property had many different owners until the city bought it in 1892. The mill was rented out for business use until 1913. It then had a big repair and update in 1960 to help preserve it.
